Partnerships across sectors and borders are critical to achieving inclusive and sustainable growth in Africa, according to MTN Group, Africa’s largest mobile network operator. This was the central message delivered by MTN executives at CNN International’s inaugural Global Perspectives: Africa event held in London.
Speaking at the event, Ebenezer Asante, MTN Group Vice President for Ghana and Southern and East Africa, highlighted the vital role of collaboration in driving digital inclusion.
“We are getting to a space where, without partnership and working together – not only with our competitors, but also with other investors, governments, and even multilateral agencies and development fund providers – we are simply not going to be able to cover the next one billion people,” Asante stated.
He was referring to the significant portion of the continent’s population that does not yet use the mobile internet and remains “stuck in the voice era.” The International Telecommunication Union estimates that in 2024, only 38% of Africa’s population was online, versus a global average of 68%. The GSMA estimates that closing this usage gap could add an additional US$700 billion to GDP in sub-Saharan Africa up to 2030.
To realize this economic potential, Asante emphasized the need for a three-pronged approach which are Innovation to bring the cost of deployment “way lower than where it is today”, Smart Regulation Talent and Skills Development.
Serigne Dioum, MTN Group Fintech CEO, also participated in a panel discussion on fuelling Africa’s next-generation startup ecosystem. Dioum showcased how fintech innovation, led by services like MTN Mobile Money (MoMo), is enabling scalable, high-growth enterprises by bridging funding gaps, formalising informal economies, and creating more inclusive digital marketplaces.
“Us and regulators, we have the same vision, the same objective. We want to drive financial inclusion, we want people to get more dignity,” said Dioum. “What is more important than financial inclusion, is for people to be independent financially.”
MTN Group connects more than 300 million subscribers across the continent. Its financial services are driving massive transaction volumes, with over 63 million active MoMo users conducting more than 11 billion transactions valued at over US$212 billion in the first half of 2025 alone.